Rex Ryan Would Prefer To Be Fired If Jets Don’t Make Offensive Changes

That thing we call a mess in New York Jets land seems to get messier by the moment. The circus that is the Jets has one more game to go.

Rex Ryan is passionate about his job and wants to be the coach of the Jets, but not like this, and not with the offensive personnel he has.

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News is reporting that Ryan wants his job, but would rather be fired if owner Woody Johnson doesn’t pony up the money to make changes on offense with personnel and assistant coaching changes.

Mehta: Ryan has suggested to “anyone who would listen” he would prefer being fired if owner Woody Johnson doesn’t rectify the player personnel and coaching issues on offense.

“If Woody’s not willing to do what it takes to fix the team, then (Ryan) knows he’s better off being fired,” a team source said. “If Woody is willing to eat some money and spend to get us out of this mess, then it’s worth staying.”

Ryan’s recommendations to Johnson would almost certainly include replacing first-year offensive coordinator Tony Sparano with a new play-caller. However, it’s unclear whether Johnson is willing to pay off the remaining portion of Sparano’s deal.

“The million-dollar question is how much dead money is Woody willing to absorb for 2013 with front office, coaches and players?” a league source familiar with the situation said. “If Woody’s not willing to spend, then (Ryan) would want out. He’d be a lame duck. Anybody would want out.”

Sources confirm that Ryan prefers to stay with the Jets if his owner is willing to pour in all the necessary resources to breathe life into one of the most anemic passing offenses in the league. Although Johnson’s bottom-line budget is unknown, sources said that Ryan won’t simply resign if the owner isn’t willing to make sufficient changes.

“He won’t quit,” a team official said.

I can’t get mad at Ryan for wanting offensive changes. Yes it’s easy to speculate on who made the call to bring in Tim Tebow, but I think Rex has grown tired of the Circus.

I’m not sure Mark Sanchez is the answer at quarterback, but whoever the quarterback is will need receivers to throw to, a viable option at tight end, and an offensive coordinator who has a clue.

Ryan himself spoke on the matter, and didn’t hint either way.

“I’m always going to keep searching because I’m trying to win,” Ryan said after a 27-17 loss to the Chargers on Sunday ensured his first losing season as a head coach. “Whatever it takes, that’s what I’m here to do. Obviously, it’s been a bad season. There’s no question about that, but I’m going to keep competing. I want to win. I came here to win a championship.”